Break the Façade
by Kiss My Angelic Ass
Summary: "You're different than I thought you'd be boy. That eye is a blessing and curse; so sad, that they walk together."" Slash OOC!Everyone Older!Allen ABANDONED


**Disclaimer: I don't own -Man or any characters within that boundary. I created this for the purpose of amusement, nothing else.**

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><p>When Allen was 17 his father finally died from an illness that had been plaguing him for several years. He found himself saying farewell to the clown all by himself, a bitter smile on his dry face. Many years ago Mana had said his tears had dried up, Allen found it fitting that he seemed incapable of crying at the man's death.<p>

He stood up gracefully, and stood there silently; taking in the simple grave that he had laid simple black roses on. There wasn't much to do, he had filled Mana's last request as he had died, singing him a lullaby all the way into his final sleep. Mana had loved it when he sang; he said the birds in the trees were jealous of his voice. He hadn't liked music until he met the clown, he hadn't liked much before he met him, but his father had taught him piano starting on his 12th birthday. He had been addicted to the sound of music since, even humming to himself when he was walking alone before he had picked up a few other instruments.

He was interrupted from his memories roughly, a large hand landing on his right shoulder. He whipped around; glad to be rid of his once long hair so he could see clearly without the red-brown locks, he couldn't find it in himself to be surprised at the man's identity though.

When he had turned 11, Mana had said that he had lived beyond his expectations, and began to tell him tales. Simple things like the strange nature of innocence, then the sad creatures that were Akuma, it took him a while but eventually he told him of accommodators and their enemy; the Millennium Earl and the Noah's. The Noah family had been rough between them, the story of Neah driving a short wedge between the two, especially after he found out about how he was the new Musician.

Mana told him of their plans before his uncles death long ago, they would find someone for Neah's memories to inhabit, and Mana would set them on the right path; it was General Cross who would make him an Exorcist.

And there was the tall man now, a mane of red hair, cigarette held lazily in his fingers, a large hat with a golden golem perched on it, the Exorcists general coat, and of course the signature half-mask. The man was currently sneering down at him, and he found himself hoping that they wouldn't be at each other's throats during his apprenticeship.

"Your name is Allen Walker?" Came the annoyed voice of someone who obviously didn't want to be there. Which was strange, seeing as the man had volunteered to do this long ago. Then again, this man would probably prefer to not have to drag around an extra person with him.

Allen gave him a searching gaze, silver eyes sweeping up and down the man's profile, "Yes, you are General Cross of the Black Order?" He responded coldly.

The man seemed slightly shocked but his disinterested mask was back so quick it was hard to tell, "You will be apprenticing under me as an accommodator for innocence." It wasn't a question.

"As long as this apprenticeship doesn't turn into me trying to pay all your debts while you race around the world." He didn't want to talk to someone who obviously thought very little of him right now, the man obviously didn't care he'd lost his father.

Cross snorted, "We might just get along kid," and suddenly it seemed as though the air was lighter around them.

Allen raised an eyebrow, "Indeed, I'll warn you now; I won't take well to being talked down to while you entertain women."

The general laughed, and with the hand he realized was still on his shoulder, began to steer him downhill. "How much do you know about me then?" The man asked curiously, obviously seeming to be less annoyed when he realized he wasn't talking to a tiny brat.

"Mana has told me a lot, he says that he really wished I never had to meet you; said you'd encourage bad habits of mine he's tried to rid me of." Allen couldn't help but respond in kind, wondering vaguely if he'd have to refer to the man as Master.

Cross snorted, "What kind of bad habits would that be? Please don't say drinking, one of us needs to be sober in the morning."

Allen chuckled dryly, "Gambling mostly, though he said I've picked up his brothers ways of attracting women like flies to honey." He knew his face was slightly smug; it wasn't his fault that he had started to look like an uncle he wasn't actually related to.

"You know about your uncle, I never expected for Mana to tell you that much in all honesty." He couldn't contain his shock this time, some seeping into his voice.

Allen nodded, "He really started after I played a song that I had never seen on the piano the first time I touched it." His voice was amused, that really had happened, scared his father silly when he began to plunge into a foreign song that seemed to call to something within him.

He wasn't surprised in the slightest when Cross halted all movement, "He chose you," here Cross sent him a searching glance, "I shouldn't be surprised, Mana did raise you for many years."

Allen nodded, "He actually named me, 'bit sad really, not having a name until a strange clown named me after a dead dog." His voice was cold, but he knew that Cross would appreciate the amount of trust he was giving him, especially with all the information he had on the man.

Cross began walking again, and Allen could see they were heading towards the towns train station, "Let's talk about something less soft, you said you gambled?"

Allen gave him a cocky smirk, "Poker, I haven't lost since my first week playing it. It's a good way to earn money, not that you would know anything about earning money would you?" He sent him a teasing look, earning him a rough cuff to the back of his head.

"Watch it; I'm still your Master." The man joked, but then jolted backward as Allen stepped into the light.

Allen was surprised before he realized that Cross had finally noticed his strange scar over his left eye, not having bothered to cover it as he usually did that morning. "Where'd you get that?"

The boy nodded at him, "I've seen a few Akuma in my life, the first one I recognized was at 13. It erupted from the skin it was in and was obviously about to go on a massacre when my innocence activated for the first and last time since then, it seemed so surprised to see me, as a level 2 it managed to use one of its limbs to scar my face." He stopped there for a few moments, "I was so confused, and the Akuma could obviously tell I didn't want to murder anything, even such a monster. It did it while I was fighting with my own arm, said he cursed me to forever regret such indecision on my part. I've been able to see the souls of Akuma ever since, such pain, I realized that they wanted to be released from such suffering, but I've never fought them since then," he shot a look at his curious-looking Master, "Mana said I must learn to use my innocence from an Exorcist, then I could truly free myself from the horror this vision holds."

Cross gave him a searching look, "You're different than I thought you'd be boy. That eye is a blessing and curse; so sad, that they walk together." There was a peaceful silence between them as they stepped into the train until they were several miles into their journey sitting in first class.

Allen lent his head against the window, watching a foreign landscape play out beneath him. His world had changed in one night and he wondered if he would ever regret it.

Cross was flicking through a thick book that looked to be filled of scraps of paper, but Allen realized to be his collection of debts, "So, am I going to have to call you master?"

The general looked up shocked, "That sounds much too odd from someone as old as you are now, call me what you want, except" he paused here, giving Allen an evil stare, "my first name." Allen snickered lightly into his hand, and made a note to call him Marian at some point.

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><p>Allen collected his final winnings of the night, giving a mocking salute to the scowling men. However rough he had grown in his 3 years with his Master, no one took such a young person as himself seriously. He had also been told by some women he had been forced to entertain with Cross that he had a wicked poker face. He knew he did, the general liked to call him Black Allen when it came to poker.<p>

Of course his personality wasn't the only thing that hand changed over the years (besides his number of exploits in bed), he looked so much different than the still scrawny 17 year old he had been.

His brownish hair looked much redder now, though thankfully nowhere near Cross's blood red, and it was cropped wildly, the longest part was over his left eye; purposefully grown out to hide his scar, the straight hair was cut in strange patterns that no one understood (including himself).

Still slim he was thankfully not as wiry as he had been, used to running across the country side, his skin had gained some color to it as well from all the sun. His once red left arm had been black for several months after it went up a level, though it seemed to look much more human like after he reached Crown Clown. Cross seemed to appreciate this as he found him wearing gloves incredibly tiring.

His master had yet to convince him to dress appropriately for his position, Allen reasoning that while to Cross they were invisible, he could hide from enemies that didn't know they were visible. Cross had at the least gotten him to promise to wear the Black Order crest after he became an Exorcist. His clothes were something he wished he didn't like, as he knew the preference actually came from Neah, but he went along with the white jackets and boots over skin tight black shirts and gray pants. Every now and then he could be talked into wearing a different colored jacket but that was where all compromises stopped.

Of course the general's biggest aggravation was his obsession with wearing wire black rings and rough gloves. He insisted that the rings ruined his 'tough image' while if he was going to wear gloves, and least wear gloves that protected his fingers from the chill; which his common fingerless ones didn't.

In fact, one of the few things Cross liked about his appearance was when his innocence was activated. He said it made him remember that he was the more 'mature' of the two when Allen was dressed up like a clown. Allen had punched him before sprinting away from the gun he knew was going to be pulled soon, he had returned back to the hotel to find his master had ditched him to pay the hotel.

Nothing much had changed when it came to debts, his master managed to pay off some of the huge amount as he country-hopped, while Allen seemed to have a certain amount of debts to pay off a week, more added when the master was annoyed and all extra money was his. It was a functional relationship, even more so when the general had convinced him to start smoking, he apparently didn't want to be the only Exorcist destroying his insides purposefully; Allen had scowled at him but hadn't stopped the habit.

3 years with Master Cross, and tonight was the night he finally said goodbye to the man. He made a note to avoid flying objects, his master had a tendency to try and knock him out to do a quick-get away, Allen made sure the idiot had yet to succeed.

He slipped into the lit room quietly, immediately hit by a flying golem in the face. Timcanpy flew around him happily before settling neatly into his hair. He rolled his eyes at the lazy golem before turning to the man who had managed to shape him into something he deemed 'Exorcist worthy'.

The man gave him a lazy smile, one side of his mouth curling up, his eyes were proud for once when he looked up Allen and he felt something akin to fondness for the man well up in him. He grinned back at the man, he who had given him something worth walking forward after Mana's death.

"I will not be here in the morning, I expect to not get any notifications from this hotel about overdue payment," Cross shot him an annoyed look there, "Hopefully I managed to pound something into your thick skull the past few years. Don't scare anyone while playing poker," another annoyed look, "and try not to damage Timcanpy." Allen definitely wasn't expecting to receive the golden creature, but Timcanpy made no objections.

He bowed his head slightly to the man in respect, "It's been an honor being your apprentice," a mischievous look crossed his face as he finally did the thing he'd always to, "thank you Marian." He mentally thanked his master for all the reflex training, but was too busy currently dodging bullets aimed at him to share that.

"I told you not to call me that sprout!" Allen ducked again, scowling as the dreaded nickname returned, he had ended up covered in beansprouts in the market one day and Cross had noticed how much the name had annoyed him. However he thought he had finally gotten too tall for that when he didn't have to move his head to look his master straight in the eye; obviously not.

He would miss this, whatever 'this' was.

He woke up an hour or so before dawn as usual, and spotted something different with the room immediately (besides the fact that Cross had indeed left). A small white bag sat on the Generals bed, and he walked over curiously. A small note lay on top, the familiar scrawl of his master clear on the paper: 'I decided that I didn't want to end up in your debt, so consider us even or I'll take care not to miss next time I see you.' He opened the bag delicately, noticing the fact that it felt like an expensive material and drew out a beautiful flute. It was a piece of art, gleaming metal with the silver shining even in the dim light.

His master knew him well.

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><p>The headquarters of the Black Order was intimidating, he'd give them that. A towering black building perched on a cliff overrun by golems. He shrugged in defeat and decided to give whoever was observing the golems a show, he used what his Master had liked to call 'cheating' in that he used his first level innocence to propel him up to a ledge several feet over head.<p>

Landing perfectly he looked up again, damn it was high up, but he wanted to make an impression; what better way to do that but look strong with his weakest level?

He was at the top in 5 minutes, looking curiously around at his surroundings, Timcanpy was curled around his neck as if to ward off the other golems. He managed to spot the entrance to the large building and he argued that he might as well continue on in the same pattern.

Leaning back slightly, he tensed before springing forward and pushing off the ground, as he touched down he wondered when he had managed to pick this crap up from Cross. The door in front of him was as bizarre as the general had described it and he silently allowed himself to be examined, not bothering with introductions.

He scowled slightly as the door saw part of his scar through his hair, wishing he'd worn his patch today, and began yelling about how he had a pentacle and everyone knows that having a pentacle scarred into your forehead means you're a follower of the Earl.

He snorted slightly at the Japanese man who lunged at him; they sent a guy with a ponytail to kill him? Realizing it was a good time to give his name as he didn't think he'd make a good impression beating the shit out of one of their Exorcists.

"My name's Allen Walker, my master General Cross sent a letter here addressed to a Mr. Komui about my arrival." He wasn't surprised at the fact he wasn't expected, there were many reasons his Master avoided this place at all costs.

There was a muffled shout for Kanda to stand down, and he belatedly realized the man looked ready to lunge at him, before a girl who looked about his age stepped out; he recognized her as an Exorcist of the Black Order from her uniform and Cross's description; Lenalee Lee.

She smiled brightly at him, and he resisted the urge to grimace back, "Hello Allen, my name's Lenalee Lee, that's my brother your letter got sent to. You'll have to excuse everybody else; he's not very good at organization."

He nodded, not really listening to what she was saying as they walked through the halls, he felt like a bookman as he filed away the layout in a basic map, glad he had grown out of his amazing ability to get lost in a closet.

Allen was brought back to Earth as he was introduced to the Science Department, shaking hands with the infamous Komui Lee, the man smiled at her in the same cheery way his sister had, "Nice to see you Allen, we do hope you'll enjoy your time here more than your master did." Allen resisted the urge to chuckle; his master had a reputation no matter where he went.

"Of course, my master just prefers doing things his own way; says if he doesn't communicate, they can't argue with his decisions." He responded, smiling in what he knew to be a comforting way.

The man gave him a curious look, "How'd you hear him say that?" He asked, directing Allen to where he assumed his Innocence would be inspected by Hevlaska.

"He ran out of things to bet with against me so I got to ask him a question every time he lost at poker." Allen answered easily, stretching his arms back to make sure they didn't get sore after the climb. Timcanpy butted against his head, and he scratched the golem as if it were a cat, not that Timcanpy seemed to mind as the golem collapsed on his head.

He looked over at Komui; the man seemed to be pondering something as they spent the next few minutes in silence. "The gate keeper said you have a pentacle on your forehead, but you're an Exorcist. How does that work out?"

Allen didn't bother making any disgruntled noises, having expected the question a long time ago, "The first Akuma I met scarred my left eye and gave me the ability to see Akuma's soul, the scar never faded and neither has the ability." He wondered if that counted as lying, he told the truth; just not all of it. His eye had upgraded over the past years, going to the point where he was free to wear his eye patch as it singled out Akumas and his right eye matched them up with his surroundings.

Komui made an interested noise in the back of his throat, "I can see why Cross took an interest in you then, he's not one for apprentices." He didn't bother to correct him as to why Cross had taken him, the man sure hadn't wanted him at all to begin with and he doubted being able to see the soul of an Akuma would've been all it took to change that.

He realized for the first time with a start that they had gone quite distance as they stepped out into the open aired room. The true light was far above them, the illumination down here only from the pulsing pieces of innocence. He stared curiously at the ethereal figure he knew to be an Exorcist, she had been with the Order for a long time, bound to protect their goal.

Allen let out a sharp yelp as without warning he felt himself pulled up into the air to face Hevlaska, small tendrils inspecting his left arm.

Low whispers echoed in the room, numbers that he took to be his synchro rate with his innocence. "2% 16% 30% 41% 58% 78% 83% 96% 114% 129% 148% Maximum Synchronization rate of 163%" Thought so, and what the hell? 163! That was insane, he thought he probably be somewhere in the 80's and even Cross who thought he'd be higher couldn't have guessed so high.

He looked up to the shrouded black figures that ruled over the Order, wondering what they thought of a 20 year old with such a high compatibility with his innocence. There was a general murmuring, and he sensed he'd probably be the talk of headquarters for several months at the least.


End file.
